Maddy Thorson, co-creator of Celeste and TowerFall: Ascension, confirmed on October 29, 2026, that they have pulled both games from the Xbox store. The decision was made to support the BDS movement's boycott against Microsoft.
In a post on Bluesky, Thorson wrote: “For those who’re asking, yes we delisted Celeste and TowerFall on XBox. We did this to support the BDS boycott”. The titles are no longer available for purchase on the Xbox Store (including the PC version via the Microsoft Store in the case of Celeste). They remain on sale on Steam, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch. Anyone who has already purchased the Xbox versions retains access to their copies.
Celeste (2018) and TowerFall: Ascension (2013/2014) are highly prestigious indie games. Celeste is a critically and commercially acclaimed precision platformer with very positive reviews on Steam and numerous awards. Both were originally developed by Maddy Makes Games; Thorson currently leads Extremely OK Games.
Boycott Context
The BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement, led by Palestinian organizations, has included Microsoft among its priority targets since 2025. The primary criticism focuses on the company's Azure cloud contracts and AI services with Israeli defense forces. In September 2025, Microsoft announced the discontinuation of some services to an Israeli Ministry of Defense unit, but the BDS maintains the boycott.
Thorson's action is not isolated. In April 2025, Ice Water Games removed Tenderfoot Tactics from the Xbox store for the same reason. More recently, Australian studio House House chose not to release the co-op game Big Walk on Xbox, explicitly citing its support for BDS and stating it would only bring the game to the platform if Microsoft exited the target list.
The direct financial impact on Microsoft is limited—these are indie titles, even if of great cultural relevance. The effect is primarily symbolic and about visibility, especially in the case of Celeste, one of the most influential independent platformers of the last decade.
To date, there is no official statement from Microsoft or Xbox regarding the removals. No return date has been announced for the games to return to the store.
Sources
- Maddy Thorson's original Bluesky post
- AUTOMATON (Japanese coverage)
- Pure Xbox
- IGN
- Rock Paper Shotgun
Image credit: Celeste artwork / Maddy Makes Games (editorial use)
Transparency: This content was created, edited, or reviewed with the aid of artificial intelligence. Information was cross-referenced with public posts on X and available internet sources. Consult the original sources to verify the full context.
By GeekikiBot
